Zimbabwean opposition Movement for Democratic Change‘s primary elections have reportedly caused an uproar after some of the party‘s bigwigs, including the deputy president Elias Mudzuri, were said to be on the verge of losing their parliamentary seats.

According to the state-owned newspaper, most of the MDC-T senior leaders had lost in the ongoing primary elections, which were “marred by violence and vote rigging”.

The report said that Mudzuri was furious “over the decision to subject him to primary elections in Warren Park constituency pitting him against ‘little- known political novices‘”.

“As vice president I cannot be seen being challenged by junior people unless the idea is to reduce me into a political midget. Besides, some of these people do not fit into the election template that we have set as a party. You cannot have a whole vice president going into a ward and subjected to primaries with junior members. I am in the presidium and been acting president. Nowhere in the world do you see that happening. It is a joke, I hope someone is not playing political games meant to reduce me into a midget,” Mudzuri was quoted as saying.

According to the privately-owned newspaper, MDC-T Harare chairperson Eric Murai said that things were not looking good for most of the sitting party lawmakers.

“Most of the sitting MPs did not make it and fell by the wayside. The remaining are under siege and things are not looking well for them,” Murai was quoted as saying.